To See You Smile
by Greenstuff
Summary: COMPLETE Hermione loses her eyesight in the Final battle against Voldemort . . .
1. Chapter 1

To See You Smile  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Severus Snape stood tall and proud as always, peering through the morning mist, searching for survivors. The locator spell he had cast told him there were some, and that he should be able to see one soon. He wove slowly across the field, picking his was around the corpses, not wishing to step on any of them. Even in his haste to finish this final mission he didn't wish to disrespect the dead. The stench of rotting flesh permeated the air around him and he fought down a gag, some of the curses exchanged on this field had left their victims so mutilated that one could not even be certain they were humans, but others lay stiff and cold with the intense look of shock that only a death by Avada Kedavra could leave. Crows, rats, and other scavengers were grouped around the less mutilated bodies, fighting over the tender parts. Severus tried not to look too closely at the bodies that surrounded him for several hundred meters in every direction, the spell he had used would cause his wand to grow warm when he was near a live body; he only hoped the scavengers weren't feasting on the unconscious as well as the deceased.  
  
A few moments later the wand he held began to grow warm, signaling that there was a live body within a few meters of him. Stopping suddenly Snape scanned the body's closest to him. The body to his left was missing its head, and to his right was a lump of flesh, damp with blood and covered in rats that he assumed had once been a human being, though it was so disfigured that it could easily have been anything. He moved forward a step at a time, looking for a sign of life in the surrounding forms. The mutilation made his stomach churn, there were limbs lying several meters from the body they belonged to, and not all the victims were adults. His throat closed over when he saw a face he recognized as a Slytherin first year. The small boy lay at an awkward angle, his large brown eyes staring blankly, his black hair matted with blood. The heat radiating from his wand intensified and he knew he was close. Stepping over a large body covered in rats and maggots, Severus caught sight of movement. He moved cautiously towards the petite body, saw the chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm and let out the breath he hadn't known he was holding. He'd found someone alive. The relief he felt was enormous. With long steady strides he moved to the young woman's side and bent to lift her. Less than a meter from her he stopped, she looked so peaceful in her unconscious state that at first he hadn't recognized her, but now he did.  
  
The unconscious woman was none other than Hermione Granger. With strong, steady arms Severus lifted his former student and aparated to the spot near Hogsmeade Dumbledore had instructed the victims be left. The clearing was deserted when they appeared so Snape set Hermione's body gently on the ground and settled himself against a tree, knowing that if she were unconscious she couldn't be left on her own until safe inside of Hogwarts. Her tiny hand was cold in his, and he wondered if the rest of her body was as cold. Not knowing what else to do he removed his cloak and draped it over her. It was only about ten minutes later that a popping sound told the Potions Master company had arrived. He raised his eyes from where they had been studying Miss Granger and met the clear blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore.  
  
"Hello Severus," Albus said, his eyes twinkling. "I see you've recovered a survivor."  
  
Snape snorted, only Albus Dumbledore could get away with such a stupid remark. "Yes. Miss Granger appears to be unconscious, she hasn't talked or tried to open her eyes." He bent to lift the girl into his arms again, "Now where do I need to take her?"  
  
"The hospital wing is full, but I believe there are some empty private rooms in the dungeon." Dumbledore smiled at the look of shock on the other man's usually controlled face. "If you would please settle her there, and then check with Poppy as to Miss Granger's care. She will be under your care for the time being."  
  
"But Headmaster!" Snape exclaimed, "What am I supposed to do with her? you can't honestly expect me to play doctor to this girl."  
  
Albus's eyes lost their merriment, "That is exactly what I expect you to do. Poppy is busy sewing people back together and healing bones. We can't just leave all the work to her. And besides, If I'm right Miss Granger's injury is not one that a medi-witch can cure." With that cryptic statement the Headmaster disaperated.  
  
Snape let out an exasperated growl, turned on his heel and strode angrily towards the school. Flinging open the doors to the school he marched straight to the infirmary. "Poppy," he called, "We have another patient."  
  
The medi-witch scuttled over to him, her brow creased with worry. "Albus promised me no more patients," she said, on the verge of tears, "There aren't even any free beds." she trailed off, wringing her hands in distress.  
  
Severus felt distinctly sorry for the woman, "She is to stay in the dungeons, but first I need you to look her over and tell me what's wrong with her, and what I'm supposed to do about it." She glanced at him, suspicion in her eyes, but also relief. "Those were Albus' orders." He added, "He knew you had too much to do already, and apparently I have the time," he scowled.  
  
Suddenly a grin lit up Madame Pomfery's plump face, "Well then, if those are Dumbledore's orders," with another grin she motioned for Snape to follow her to her office. "Just lay her down here, I've got a few things to do and then I'll take a look. Why don't you just sit here and call me if there's any change, the house elves will have he room ready when we need it."  
  
Not overly happy with the Healer's plan Snape slumped into the only chair in the room and scowled at the unconscious girl who was causing him all this trouble. It wasn't that he minded helping her so much as that he felt like he could be doing something much more important right now. Like searching for more survivors, or hunting down the few surviving Death Eaters, even brewing more medi potions would give him the feeling he was doing something useful. He hated the feeling of helplessness that came from sitting still while other's worked. It didn't help that he was dreading the moment Hermione work up. Knowing what he did of her from having her in his classes for seven years, he was certain she would ask about Harry and Ron, her former best friends as soon as she could speak. And he did not relish the thought of telling her about their current state.  
  
Ron Weasley had been killed in battle and was probably still lying where he had died. There would be no funeral for him, his body would be burned with the rest of the dead, and his family informed of his demise. Harry Potter, boy hero for the wizarding community since he was a one year old had tried to kill himself and was now in St Mungo's to be treated for severe depression. It wasn't that Snape cared about either of the boys, or the girl in his care, but he wasn't completely heartless, and worse; he was horrible at being sympathetic. Being raised in the home of a Death Eater didn't exactly teach sympathy.  
  
Hermione stirred, jolting him out of his thoughts. He moved to the edge of her bed, looking down on her pale face. She squirmed a bit and fluttered her eyelids open. All the blood vessels in her cinnamon eyes seemed to be burst and she stared unseeingly for only a moment before the fluttered closed again. Severus felt something akin to panic as he hurried off to find Madame Pomfery. It appeared that Miss Granger was blind.  
  
~*~  
  
The first sensation that assailed Hermione upon waking was a splitting headache. She squirmed slightly on the bad she was on, unsure where she was or what had caused this intense pain that radiated from the base of her skull. She tried to open her eyes, flicking her lids open knowing they were open because of the rush of dry air that swept across her eyeballs, but she couldn't see a thing. Determined not to panic she shut her eyes against the dark. Taking a few deep measured breaths Hermione opened her eyes yet again. Nothing. Deciding that she simply couldn't penetrate the darkness of the room she was in, more to keep herself sane then because she actually believed it, Hermione strained her ears for sounds. She could hear people moving about, murmuring in an irritatingly quiet manner that made eves dropping impossible. Never once did she consider using her voice. To speak to someone she could not see was unfathomable, as was the fact that she may have been blind. The voices she had heard were coming closer and she worked desperately to understand their speech. The effort increased her headache to the point that she could no longer bear it. With one final attempt to understand the gentle voices Hermione fainted.  
  
~*~  
  
"Oh dear," Madame Pomfery knelt at Hermione's bed side. "Oh dear."  
  
"What is it?" Severus snapped, unable to stand waiting another second.  
  
"It's a head injury," the healer replied, sounding as if her feelings too were injured. "She is, for the moment, blind, and for all we know she could be unable to speak as well. I think he hearing is alright, but here will be no way to tell until she regains consciousness." Turning to fully face the professor she continued. "Just as we don't know the full nature of her injuries until she regains consciousness we will not know what sort of treatment she will need." She smiled tiredly, "Doubtless she will have quite the headache whenever she is awake, so I will write you some instructions about sleeping draughts and pain fighting potions." She moved past Snape to sit at her desk. Pulling out a piece of parchment and a quill she addressed him for a final time. "The best thing for Miss Ganger right now if for her to be under near constant supervision by someone who understands her illness and her medication, I believe that is why Albus entrusted her to you. Now I will send this list with you, I presume you have the potions in the dungeons?" at his nod she passed him the parchment, "Good luck. Call for me if there's any change."  
  
Snape simply stood watching her leave. Obviously he had been dismissed, but he didn't really know where he was supposed to take Hermione. Being as he needed to check on her every five minutes or so he assumed moving her to his study would be best. He could work on his potions in there, as long as he did them one at a time, and it was attached to his living quarters, so he would be able to check on her during the night. Having decided where they were headed he conjured up a stretcher and headed for the dungeons.  
  
Settling Hermione on a bed that he had summoned from his own quarters until another could be located Snape couldn't help but notice how young she looked. All lines of worry were removed from her face along with all the walls she had built up over the years, and she looked completely vulnerable. Something about that vulnerability touched him and he found himself wanting to personally deliver justice to the bastard that had cause her this injury. The feeling was completely foreign to him, this need to protect someone, and he wasn't sure he liked it. Shaking his head and believing himself to be simply overtired the Potions Master moved off to find another bed for his own rest. He would also, he realized, need to collect some potions.  
  
The stores of medi-potions were already looking depleted and he wasn't looking forward to replenishing them whilst checking on Hermione ever 5 minutes. He let out an exasperated sigh, why had the Headmaster done this to him? He would never be able to keep the potions supply in full stock if he couldn't work for more than 5 consecutive minutes. Making a split second decision Severus returned to the room where he had left her. There was a fire crackling merrily in the grate, the only source of light since the room's occupant couldn't see anyway. He grabbed a small box off the mantle, grabbed a pinch of floo powder, and threw it into the orange flames. "Albus Dumbledore" he said, kneeling down in front of the fireplace and sticking his head into the now green flames.  
  
~*~  
  
"Hello Severus." Dumbledore said, flashing the man a quick smile. "You look upset. Is there something wrong?"  
  
Severus gave the aging man a dark look. "Yes sir there is something wrong. How am I supposed to get my work done if I have to check on Miss Granger ever 5 minutes?"  
  
Dumbledore fought hard not to laugh at the look of pure frustration on the Professor's face. "I understand completely Severus, but you seem to have forgotten that you have an assistant this summer." He smiled, eyes twinkling merrily.  
  
A low aggravated growl escaped Snape's lips before he could stop it. His "assistant" was a good for nothing Gryffindor seventh year that he would trust with any potion that might actually come in contact with another person. "He's hardly capable of working on his own Albus." He said stiffly.  
  
"On the contrary Professor, I believe Mr. Creevey to be an excellent potions maker, the best in his year if my memory is correct. However if you feel the need to supervise his efforts constantly you could always move Miss Granger to your workroom."  
  
"Yes. I could do that, since there seems to be no other option." Snape replied grudgingly, "Thank you Headmaster." With a final scowl he withdrew his head from the fire, sitting still for a moment to recover from the momentary dizziness this always left him with. Rising to his feet Severus decided that Dumbledore's plan was a good one, and he would enact it first thing tomorrow. With a gigantic yawn he checked to be sure Hermione had everything she would need and went to bed.  
  
~*~  
  
Waking up every fifteen minutes to check on his patient Severus was quickly convinced he would never get enough rest. Deciding that, since he wasn't going to get quality sleep anyway, he should use his time well and do some reading, Severus reached for a book on head injuries that Madame Pomfery had given him. After all, the more he knew about the girl's condition the sooner she could be healed, and the sooner Hermione was healed the sooner he could return to his normal life of solitude. Settling in his leather desk chair he lost himself in the world of serious head injuries and their magical cures.  
  
Several hours passed in this manner, with both Hermione and Severus dead to the world around them. Every half hour of so Snape would rise and move to check that the girl was still breathing normally. He had heard once that patients with head injuries should be woken regularly when sleeping, but he didn't know if she was sleeping or had fallen back out of consciousness so he opted to let her be until morning. The book Madame Pomfery had lent him was proving to be interesting, even if it wasn't helpful in the least. The only thing he could gather than related to Hermione's case was that she could not be healed by a simple magical spell or potion; in fact it was very likely that she would have to heal the Muggle way. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
The first thought through Hermione's mind when she woke was that last time she opened her eyes she hadn't been able to see a thing. Ever since she was a small child she had always woken in the same manner. Slowly, allowing one sense at a time to absorb the details of her surroundings. Usual waken by birds chirping, or the irritating buzz of an alarm she would lie still, letting the sound wash over her before drawing in a deep breath, sucking in all the smells she could. Next she would stretch, always slowly, letting her skin relish the touch of soft, warm fabric. Having stretched all of her muscles, working out the morning kinks, she let her eyes flutter open and took in her surroundings; the intricate pattern of shadows on the roof, the pile of papers on the corner of her desk, the sun shining through a window. That final part of her morning ritual, sight, was one she wouldn't be using for some time.  
  
She moved slowly into a sitting position, he head was pounding. She fought the urge to vomit. Blackness pressed in on her and, even as she strained to see through it, she knew it was useless to fight either the pain or the blackness that threatened to overwhelm her. With a defeated sigh she sank back onto the pillows. Despair took a hold of her with firm cold fingers and she felt tears falling from her now useless eyes.  
  
` Severus, who had finally fallen asleep in the early morning hours, woke with a start. Cracking the stiffness out of his neck he rose to check on his patient. Her eyes were open, staring unseeingly up at the ceiling, tears making their way, unhindered, down her cheeks. Snape felt as if an invisible hand had grabbed his heart and was trying to crush it. She looked so hopeless, he couldn't stand it. With trembling, unsure fingers he reached out and took her tiny, cold hand in his large warm one.  
  
Hermione's breath caught as she felt warm fingers close around her icy hands. The touch was so gentle, and comforting in its simplicity. Knowing she wasn't alone the darkness seemed less oppressive. She attempted a watery smile and tried to face her rescuer, giving up when the pain in her head became unbearable once again and she was unable to form even a basic coherent thought.  
  
Snape watched helplessly as Hermione moved her head towards him, the frustration and loss that had been so clearly etched in her every feature just a moment ago was replaced by an expression of intense pain. He rubbed his thumb gently against her palm, reaching for the pain relieving potion with his other hand. He gently raised the bottle to her lips, "Here, this will help with the pain."  
  
The voice of her rescuer washed over her, soothing her frazzled nerves, as he held the bottle to her lips. Hermione swallowed the bitter liquid without complaint, willing it to work quickly. His thumb rubbed the center of her palm, in a soothing manner. Slowly the pain eased and her brain cleared. Cautiously she pulled herself into a sitting position, and with some assistance, shifted so she could lean against the headboard. This small effort left her head reeling and again she suppressed the need to vomit.  
  
Severus tucked pillows around his patient, being as gentle as he could. Years of potions making had left him keenly observant and he could tell she was still feeling weak, probably too weak to be sitting, but if this was what she wanted he would let her, for now. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before letting it drop. "I have some matters to attend to, I'll be back in a few minutes," he said softly.  
  
Hermione heard his soft footsteps walking across the room, then the click of a door closing and felt a keen sense of loss. Once again she felt the blackness creeping in around her. The silence was oppressive, closing in on her, threatening. Her skin was cold, she was sweating, her heart was pounding and she could not seem to stop herself from hyperventilating. In short she was panicking.  
  
In the other room Severus leaned back against the wall, his eyes closed trying to get a grip on himself. He had never in his entire existence felt such a strong urge to protect someone, to be tender and even kind. There had never been a person close enough for him to love them. His own parents had been distant and expected him to be the same, even going so far as to change nannies every nine months or so to keep him from becoming attached. In a family where every male was a Death Eater there had been no room for warmth, compassion, or happiness let alone for love. During his years as a Death Eater he had seen countless people killed, men, women and children, but it had never affected him emotionally. Now this young women he had detested as his student was stirring up all these emotions he had never known, all because of a few tears and a woebegone expression. It was as if she had opened up a section of his heart that had been locked since birth, just waiting for someone to need him. He drew in a deep shaky breath, he needed to return to Hermione, it wouldn't be good to leave her alone, at least not until he knew if she could call for help if she needed it.  
  
He turned and reentered the room. Hermione was still sitting as he had left her, but she was paler and her breathing was short and ineffective. Worried about her, he hurried to her side. "Hermione?" his voice was a little husky and he damned his weakness.  
  
Hermione heard footsteps returning to her side, and then a voice penetrating the silence, coming to her rescue once again. She reached out he hand, trying to locate the man. His hand met hers and held it gently.  
  
"Hermione, are you alright?"  
  
She nodded faintly. Not wanting to move her head too far, worried about bringing back the excruciating pain.  
  
"Do you know where you are?" he sat at the edge of her bed, he hand still clasped in his, hoping to give comfort by that simple gesture.  
  
Hermione shook her head, she was almost certain she recognized his voice, but she couldn't remember from where, and she most definitely didn't know where she was. Except that she was in the presence of Magical people not Muggles she didn't have a clue.  
  
"You're at Hogwarts." He continued in his silky voice. "You were found on the battlefields and brought here to recover. Albus Dumbledore placed you under my care since the Infirmary was full of the mortally wounded and in case you haven't figured this out yet, I am Severus Snape." He paused for a moment, studying her face. When he had spoken of the battlefields an expression of loss had crossed her features, but now they were blank again. He couldn't help but notice that she had tightened her grip on his hand rather than loosened it when he told her who he was. "Can you speak?" he asked, his voice was concerned.  
  
She shrugged her shoulders, unsure of how to answer. She didn't think she wanted to speak t anyone yet, but was fairly certain that she would be able to if she tried. Not sure if her reluctance to speak was because she hated not being able to see who she was speaking too, or if it was because she didn't want to answer the questions that would be asked she decided to stay silent for the time being.  
  
"Is it that you can't speak or won't?" Severus's voice was firm, but there wasn't a trace of his usual venom.  
  
Hermione stubbornly held her head high and her mouth closed. Having decided not to tell him she kept to that.  
  
"Please." He couldn't believe how weak he sounded, not only was there none of his usual hard edge, but a now very distinct huskiness had crept in to replace it. "Please Hermione," his voice broke slightly, "Please. I can't help you if I don't know what's wrong." He tightened his hold on her hand, focusing on their intertwined fingers. Willing her to know how much he cared, how much he wanted her to be well how much her suffering was killing him inside even if the pain was unwelcome.  
  
"Won't."  
  
The word was spoken so softly he almost missed it. His eyes flew to her face. "Will you tell me why?" He asked, his voice a gentle caress, knowing within him that she wouldn't, but needing to ask just the same.  
  
She shook her head.  
  
"Alright," he said with his voice as comforting as he knew how to make it. For a few moments he simply sat and watched her. Her face looked composed, but the lack of color worried him. She would need her strength in the days to come if they were going to work to find a cure. Even though she couldn't read or brew potions she would need to be able to answer questions about the nature of her injury, its symptoms and, the most difficult of all, how she had gotten it. Seeing as how she had told him she wouldn't talk he assumed the ordeal that had caused her wound had been traumatic. Finally he decided sitting there wasn't doing anyone any good.  
  
"Do you think you can stand?" he asked, breaking the silence. Her nod caused him to smile. Most likely she wouldn't be able to support her own weight, but it was a good sign that she wanted to try. "Alright, swing your legs over the edge and try to stand. It's understandable if you can't yet. You've been through quite a bit in the last couple of days. Now I'll be right here beside you incase you need help." With that final promise he let go of her hand and rose to stand beside her bed.  
  
Hermione, gritting her teeth against the pain, moved to one side of the bed. Moving slowly she felt for the edge with her feet. Finding it she shifted herself until her feet met cold stone. The ice cold floor sent a shiver up her entire body, chilling her to the core. Taking a huge breath and stealing herself against the nausea her movements had caused already Hermione rose to her feet. She stood straight for about two seconds before her knees gave way and she found herself in Snape's strong arms.  
  
Severus watched her maneuver to the edge of the bed, all the while resisting the urge to help her, knowing that wasn't what she needed. He saw a shudder pass through her when her feet hit the cold stone floor and made a mental not to get her some slippers. He watched her face closely for signs of pain as she rose to her feet, ready to move to her aid at the slightest sign. When she fell he was there to catch her, marveling at how tiny she felt in his arms. Holding her gently with one arm Severus brushed a strand of bushy brown hair off her face. "Are you alright?" he asked for the second time that day.  
  
Hermione heard concern in her former professor's voice, but decided not to dwell on the strangeness of it all, knowing it would only serve to depress her further, instead she nodded quickly and tried to stand. Her head felt swollen from the pain and she was filled with intense relief when Snape scooped her up gently in his arms, and carried her out of the room. His silky voice telling her in soothing tones, that she was going to the dungeons so he could keep an eye on her while doing his work.  
  
The familiar smell of the dungeons was strangely comforting to Hermione as Severus set her on a lounge chair. She couldn't stop the smile that lit her face when he tucked a pillow behind her head and wrapped a thick woolen blanket around her body, he reminded her of a mother hen, which wasn't something she had even expected from her cold, aloof Potions professor. She relaxed into the cozy nest he had created for her and contented herself with listening to the sounds of simmering potions, trying to picture in her mind the long agile fingers moving in fluid motions, chopping, crushing and adding ingredients with precision born of long hours practice.  
  
Severus was having a hard time concentrating on his potions that day. Hermione lay quietly on the lounge he had set her on, her eyes closed, seemingly fine, but he found himself moving to check on her every couple of minutes. Finally he gave up getting any quality brewing done that morning and summoned his assistant to the dungeon.  
  
~  
  
"Mister Creevey," Hermione jumped at the cold harsh tone that had shattered the comfortable quiet of the dungeons, "very nice of you to drop by."  
  
"I'm sorry Professor Snape, sir." Colin said quickly, "I was restocking the infirmary for Madame Pomfry sir." He would probably have continued to give excuses for his tardiness had Snape not interrupted him with a hostile glare.  
  
"Silence, Mister Creevy, is something you must achieve if you are to be of any use to me at all this summer." Snape's voice was dangerously low, a sure sign he had already lost all patience.  
  
Hermione, feeling sure her headache would return full force if she had to listen to another one of Severus Snape's lectures, reached for her pain relieving potion, accidentally knocking it to the dungeon floor where it broke with a resounding crash.  
  
At the sound of the breaking flask Severus whirled away from his troublesome Gryffindor assistant and hurried to his patient's side. Seeing pain in the set of Hermione's shoulders he told Colin to bring him some pain relief potion immediately and reached for her hand. He rubbed it gently, marveling at how small and soft it felt. "Is it as bad as before?" he asked gently, concern evident in his tone.  
  
Hermione shook her head slowly, the pain was their definitely, a dull throbbing at the base of her skull that made her want to vomit, but it wasn't nearly as sharp as it had been the night before. She heard the gentle slaps of shoes against the stone floor and heard the Professor thank his assistant for the potion. The flask felt cold against her lips, but she swallowed its bitter contents obediently.  
  
Severus watched her swallow and sighed in relief when he saw he small shoulders relax once again. When he was sure her pain was gone he squeezed her hand lightly and stood to deal with Colin. "Miss Granger is going to be with us for a while Mister Creevy, and because of this I will be unable to brew most of the potions needed to keep the infirmary running. I have my doubts about your competency, but unless you prove to be even worse than I think you are, which is highly unlikely, you will be the one brewing these potions. I will of course be on hand at all times to supervise you and answer your questions. I only ask one thing, that you work as silently as is possible, so you won't disturb Miss Granger's healing. Do you understand?"  
  
Colin stared open mouthed at his professor. He had never heard him speak so civilly to anyone, and to be trusted with the brewing of the potions being used in the infirmary was such an honor he found himself unable to form words. "Th-thank you sir." He finally managed. "Which potions should I start with then?" he smiled inwardly, proud of himself for forming such an intelligent question.  
  
"There is a list of which potions need brewing as well as the amount of each that is needed on my desk, you may start where ever on that list you like, and I will allow you to work at your own pace as long as you complete the entire list in a reasonable time frame, will that work for you?" Severus smirked at the look of shock on the young Gryffindor's face. "Well, get to it then." he said, turning back to where Hermione lay on the lounge, smiling.  
  
_______________________________________________________  
  
A/N: I'm not entirely sure about this chapter. the dialogue at the end feels stilted to me. so PELASE tell me if you have ANY suggestions to make it better! THANK YOU!!!  
  
Special thanks to Jeff, Kia Sara, Melon, Nimrowdel, Aegina, and RE16 for reviewing the first chapter!! You guys made my day!!! Thank you SO much!  
  
And of course:  
  
PLEASE REVIEW!!! 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
Hermione was shocked. She hadn't known the man was capable of being kind to a Gryffindor, especially an insufferable know-it-all like Colin Creevy. She could imagine the look that Colin must have had on his face when he left; it was probably quite similar to the one she was wearing. And of course he would be thrilled by the thought of brewing all those complex potions on his own, she certainly would have been. In an odd way she and Colin were very similar. Both had been born to Muggle parents and, in an attempt to make a smooth transition to this new world, they had both memorized as many facts as possible, giving them their know-it-all reputation. She was startled out of her thoughts by a warm hand enveloping hers.  
  
"Did that potions help?" Severus had taken a seat beside her and peered anxiously at her features, looking for any sign of residual pain.  
  
Hermione nodded, slowly, to keep from reactivating the ache, and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. She wanted to ask him what had compelled him to take on someone like Colin Creevy as a summer assistant, but she knew as soon as she started speaking there would be questions. Questions she wasn't ready to answer yet. They would want to know what had happened, what had caused her blindness. She quickly forced her mind towards neutral thoughts before memories could consume her.  
  
Severus watched as a myriad of emotions flickered across her face, pain, anger, sorrow and frustration were only a few. "Here take this," he said softly, bringing a vial of sleeping potion to her lips. She needed her rest if she was ever going to get well, and he needed to be able to tear himself from her side. "It will help you relax, you need your rest."  
  
Hermione swallowed the sleeping draught obediently and was fast asleep within minutes.  
  
~*~  
  
Hermione stood between her two best friends, wand at the ready, waiting, she could hear the tell-tale pops of people aparating not far from where they stood. A thick fog made it hard to see more than a few feet in any direction, and only served to add to the tension on the field. She caught a glimpse of green light to her left, the battle had begun.  
  
A tall man in black robes and a face mask seemed to materialize directly in front of them and for a few moments she, Harry and Ron fought side by side. The man flung a few curses, but it was three against one and he was neutralized quickly. Hermione took the fallen man's wand and pocketed it as they had been instructed to do with the enemy if they got a chance. The death eaters would be much easier to deal with if they were weaponless, and there would be no danger of a man presumed dead regaining consciousness and catching someone off guard. Ron and Harry had disappeared into the mist and for a brief moment she felt utterly alone, it was terrifying.  
  
A jet of red light flew past her, missing her head by mere inches, she sent a stunning hex in the direction it had come from. All around her people were fighting; she could see the light from their wands flashing through the mist. Clutching her wand tightly, Hermione moved stealthily across the field. She saw a flash of red hair ahead of her and hurried to assist, hoping it was Ron. She needed to find Harry.  
  
It wasn't Ron. Hermione tossed out a stunning spell, startling the Death Eater who Ginny was dueling with and sending him tumbling to the ground. Ginny smiled her gratitude, and without speaking a word they continued across the field, dodging curses and wounding Death Eaters as they went.  
  
The students and Teacher's in Dumbledore's Army were at a severe disadvantage in the battle, as the Death Eaters were shooting to kill. All around her Hermione could see flashes of green light that she attributed to Avada Kedavra. She took slow deep breaths and prayed that Harry and Ron were not on the receiving end of that curse. She was beginning to despair about ever finding them when she tripped across a body and fell face first onto the ground, rolling for a few meters before she stopped.  
  
Her fall had caught the attention of a pair of Death Eaters and she had to dodge several Cruciatus'. She had lost her wand in the fall and was now on her own in the middle of a battle, without a weapon.  
  
She continued to dodge curses as she ran across the ground she had rolled on, looking for her wand, for any wand. She found a wand, nothing like hers, but still very familiar, and shot a few stunning spells at the men chasing her. One hit. One didn't. Another curse whizzed past her ear and she dropped to the ground for a moment, hoping the man pursuing her would think she was dead.  
  
Another curse soared over her, the brilliant green light it formed lighting up her surroundings. She spotted her wand a few centimeters out of reach, sitting in the grass beside the body she had tripped over. Bile rose in her throat. The boy who lay there had the wide eyes stare attributed to Avada Kedavra, his gray eyes were blank, his face stunned. His arm was bent at an impossible angle, and blood was flowing from his nose, moth, ears and his open eyes. His delicate platinum blonde hair was spotted with blood. Hermione fought down a gag as she starred at Draco Malfoy's stiff, dead body.  
  
A flash of red light to Hermione's left snapped her out of her stupor and she picked up her wand from where it lay. The mist lifted for a brief instant and Hermione had a clear view of her attacker. She dodged a stunning spell and shot one of her own in the black robbed figure's direction and allowed herself a tiny satisfied smile when he crumpled to the ground. The spare wand she had picked up earlier in the fight slid easily into her pocket as she jogged across the field.  
  
She noticed a red haired figure fighting not far from her and sprinted in his direction firing curses at the men attacking him. She was certain it was Ron, no one else was that tall, at least no one with that shade of hair. Just as she was throwing a particularly nasty leg-locking curse Hermione's foot hit a rut. Her wand slipped to one side and she let out a cry of horror as she hit the ground. She quickly regained her feet and looked to where Ron had been fighting, just in time to see him fall.  
  
"NO!" Hermione's brain screamed as her friends body tumbled to the ground in a cloud of purple smoke. Tears burned at the back of her eyelids as she darted towards him, forgetting the possible consequences of her actions for a moment. The sound of a misdirected spell whizzing past her ear brought the present back to mind for a long enough time that Hermione was able to stun one of them and reach Ron's side unscathed.  
  
There was a distinct bluish tinge to Ron's usually rosy skin and his lips had taken on a definite purple hue. There was a gaping wound in his chest through which mahogany blood was flowing at an astonishing rate. Hermione gagged and could no longer contain her tears. She collapsed on the muddy ground next to him and allowed sobs to wrack her body.  
  
The first spell hit her without warning, scorching her left hand and causing her to cry out in pain. A second spell sent her flying several meters in the air. She landed spread eagle in the dirt unable to catch her breath. The third spell rendered her incapable of movement as a small circle of robed figures closed in around her. She tried to scream, but a quick 'Silencio' made that impossible.  
  
The tallest of the group bent over her a dangerous looking knife in his hand and an iniquitous gleam in his bright blue eyes. If she hadn't been so terrified she might have wondered at why they were taking the time to torture her when there was a battle going on, but fear had numbed her brain far past the point of logic. The man fingered the knife blade seductively as he knelt in front of her, her breathing quickened and she struggled against the constraints that held her to the ground. The knife slid easily through the first layer of her school robes. A shiver ran through her body and her mouth opened in a silent whimper.  
  
A terrified scream ripped loose from her throat as the other Death Eaters joined the first forming a circle around her on the ground. Each had his wand out and pointed at her. The smallest sent a curse at her arm, shattering several bones; another scream shattered the air as Hermione writhed in pain. A second death eater healed her arm quickly and then sent her into convulsions with an application of Cruciatus. A third curse hit her long before the second was over and soon she was in so much pain she couldn't think.  
  
Scream after scream wrenched from her body as the death eaters played with her, their newest toy. Tears were falling rapidly from her tightly clenched eyes. Her body was coated in her own blood and that of the victims around her as the death eaters continued to curse and heal her. She pleaded desperately for them to stop. "Please," she screamed, "Just let me die."  
  
A final curse hit her head with astonishing power that threw her back several feet, with a whimper Hermione slipped from consciousness.  
  
~*~  
  
Severus hadn't returned to his work station when Hermione had slipped off to sleep, preferring to sit and watch her rest while getting some rest of his own. After several minutes passed his eyelids grew heavy and he settled back in his chair for a brief nap, knowing any movement from the direction of the chaise would wake him. He slipped from consciousness and was out for fifteen blissful minutes before Hermione's stirring brought him abruptly from his rest. His black eyes focused intently on her face as her mouth opened in a terrified scream. Her tiny frame was thrashing and fighting unseen assailants. A whimper escaped her lips; bring Severus swiftly to her side. She screamed again, writhing in what appeared to be agony. He reached out and tentatively touched her shoulder. "Hermione," he said as gently as possible, "Hermione, wake up."  
  
Her eyelids stayed resolutely shut as she screamed again, this time forming words, "Please no! Just let me die!"  
  
Severus shook her shoulders, "Hermione! Wake up!" he said each word forcefully and loudly, trying in vain to shake her from her troubled slumber. Her voice sounded so terrified and hopeless he wasn't sure he could take it if she cried out again. He shook her with more fervor and finally her eyes opened the fear evident in them wrenching his heart in a way he hadn't thought possible.  
  
Tears coursed their way down her cheeks. Unexpectedly she threw her arms around Severus' neck and buried her face in his robes. Sobs coursed through her body in waves. Somewhat awkwardly Severus ran a comforting hand up and down her back. He was at a loss as to what to do; he wasn't exactly used to comforting hysterical young women. In fact he wasn't used to caring about anyone enough to want to comfort them. He murmured sweet-nothings to her as he had seen mothers do to calm their frazzled youngsters.  
  
Her sobbing slowed and then subsided completely, but her hold on Severus only tightened. With a resolved sigh he continued to rub her back comfortingly hoping she would soon regain her senses and realize that it was her greasy ex-potions master she was clinging to for dear life and resolutely shutting down the still small voice that told him he liked it.  
  
Hermione buried her face deeply into her former professor's chest, silent tears running down her face. The dream had been so very vivid. She had felt the foggy air rushing against her skin, smelt the putrid stench of rotting corpses, and known the very real fear of a near death experience. The memory of Ron's oxygen deprived face as he lay dead in the grass brought on a fresh wave of sadness, just as strong or possibly even stronger than the one she had felt on the day of the battle. The blackness that was surrounding her now was haunted by that memory. She couldn't remove the sight from her eyes because there were no other images to put in its place.  
  
She drew a long breath in through her nose; holding on to Severus' scent and using it to draw up other memories, memories of her classroom days, but each of those memories brought a sense of loss with it. Ron was dead, and Harry. well she wasn't sure, but she supposed he was dead as well. She let out an angry sigh and pulled away from Snape's warmth, throwing herself dejectedly back onto her pillows. She was mid-way through allowing her depression to take over when she heard footsteps in the hall outside the room.  
  
Severus too heard the feet falling on the stone floor and quickly resumed his seat in the chair where he had been reading. If Hermione noticed his quick movements she gave no notice of it. Her eyes were staring blankly at the wall opposite her, and her face was set in a delicate expression of a sadness he wasn't sure he would ever be able to comprehend. He no longer dreaded telling her about Ron's death or Harry's repeated attempts at suicide, he could tell by her face she already knew.  
  
A knock sounded lightly at the door and, with one final look at Hermione, Severus rose to answer. Colin Creevy stood in the corridor, his hands holding a tray of vials. "I've finished the cooling gel for Madame Pomfrey sir, shall I take it up to her, or would you like to test them first."  
  
Severus reached out and plucked a vial from the tray with long agile fingers. He turned the container slowly, examining its content with an expert eye. It looked perfect, but Severus wasn't about to let the Gryffindor know that, at least not without a proper testing. He uncorked the glass tube and dipped a finger into the clear blue gel. Instantly he felt the pleasant tingling sensation of a properly brewed gel and allowed a slight nod of acceptance as he re-corked the bottle. "It appears to work adequately," he said slowly, "You may take that tray up to the Infirmary. Make certain the labeling is both correct and legible."  
  
With that comment he replaced the vial to the tray and turned back into the room, leaving Colin standing alone in the corridor once again. "Th- thank you sir," Colin stammered at his professor's back. He received no response but wasn't surprised. He shut the door and scuttled away.  
  
Severus walked slowly back to his post by Hermione's side. He wanted to question her about her dream, and shake her until she replied, but that was not within his power. She was far too fragile and precious to be treated that way. She would talk when she was ready. He allowed himself a brief smile; she was so much like him in that respect, troubled by horrors that he now knew could be lessened by sharing the burden, but unwilling to give even a fraction of the pain to someone else. It had taken him more than six years to begin to deal with the nightmares that haunted his sleeping and waking hours. For six years he had had to see the horrors he had experienced every time he closed his eyes. He hadn't slept those days, not really, he would take a pepper-up potion every few hours to keep anyone from noticing, and when the exhaustion became too much he would drink a large bottle of dreamless sleep potion and allow his body a few precious hours of peace.  
  
Today he was no longer constantly haunted by the horrors of his past, but the burden to make up for past wrongs was still heavy, which was probably why he was sitting there, watching over a girl he had tormented for seven years. He rose and snatched a vial of dreamless sleep potion off of his desk, "Here," he said, keeping his voice neutral through great effort, "take some of this, it will help you get some real rest."  
  
Hermione took hold of the flask that he pressed into her hand and threw it on the floor. She was not going to sleep ever again; she had decided this almost as soon as she had awakened from the last nightmare. She would not allow the demons who lay behind her eyelids take her without a fight.  
  
______________________________  
  
A/N: thank you to everyone who read and reviewed the last two chapters. little-lost-one, donkeycabbages, Taya, Aegina, Kia Sara, Anarane Anwamane, Madame Slytherin, ShodanHalo, Genevieve Jones, Lauren, Snapecharmer, RosesandGod, MedNar, and Write-on3108 - thank you for the positive comments, makes writing feel worth it :D Rouge Mage; interesting suggestion. I'll keep it in mind. Ginnyrules890; sorry no Talking Hermione in this chapter, but Severus was secretly pleased. so I sort of took your suggestion. jade ; eventually Hermione will want that kind of information, but for now she has enough to deal with Meriadoc / Celithrathien; I'll try to explain more about the war eventually.. but it will come in flashbacks or dreams mostly. I hope you liked this chapter! PLEASE REVIEW!! :D 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
Severus watched helplessly as the flask shattered into a million tiny shards, spilling the precious potion on the stone floor. His hands shook in fury. As a man once haunted by demons in his sleep Severus considered his potent dreamless sleep potion to be of more value than gold. Air rushed into his lungs as he attempted to take calming breaths of the rank dungeon air. Her refusal to take the potion had stirred up in him an irrational anger that was so strong he could taste it. He turned sharply on one heel and stalked back to his desk.  
  
Hermione heard the anger in his breathing and let out a small sigh of her own. She could explain, and she knew she should, but if she spoke, if she said out loud that Ron was dead and Harry was gone it would all become real and if it were real then there was no point in Dumbledore and his staff taking care of her, because there was no point in her living. Her friends were everything to her, she had never had many friends and the few she had were irrefutably more precious than any sum of gold. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly to keep tears from falling, it was useless to deny what she knew, she had never been any good at denial, but she tried none the less; puling up images of Ron and Harry, happy ones, and tried to convince herself that they were coming to visit her that very afternoon.  
  
Half an hour passed before Severus felt again as if he could control his emotions, during that time Hermione lay motionless, her eyes squeezed tightly shut, her every muscle tense. Visions were flashing through the blackness with terrifying rapidity and vividness. She saw Draco lying in a pool of his own blood; she imagined Harry lying in the mud eyes wide, dead; and she saw Ron in his final resting place dead mere seconds before she reached his side. She shuddered at this image and wrapped her arms even more tightly around her body.  
  
She was curled tightly in the fetal position when Severus finally turned to look at her. Compassion swept through him as he watched her; obviously she was tormented, much like he had been, by visions of death and destruction that made her fear sleep above all else. 'How much worse must it be to be blind and have these visions as your only "sight"?' he wondered, leaning idly against his desk; watching. His need to avoid sleep had arisen because that was the only time when he didn't see horrendous flashes from his past, but Hermione had no other images to ward of the evil ones.  
  
Yet another vision crept with cruel cunning into Hermione's mental horror show and she pounded the chair in frustration, tears streaming unchecked down her cheeks.  
  
Severus felt his heart churn at the sight of her anguish. He was unaware of his own motion until he was beside her, reaching out a hand to grasp one of hers. He held it, silently stroking her palm with his thumb in a soothing manner, saying nothing. He could see the tension in her shoulders and searched his brain desperately for a way to relieve it.  
  
A knock at the door brought Severus swiftly to his feet. Today's meddler would find themselves serving detention for a month, no matter if it wasn't a student. He opened the door to see Albus standing outside, his expression grave. Severus' irritation dwindled slightly at the sight of his intruder and he motioned for the man to enter.  
  
Dumbledore shook his head slightly and motioned silently for the Professor to step outside the soundproofed room. Once they were alone he spoke, "I've just had some terrible news." He said gravely.  
  
Severus' heart rate tripled at the words. And when Dumbledore didn't continue immediately he snapped out, "What is it?" in his best irritated- professor-to-pouting-toddler voice.  
  
A deep, tragic sigh shook the Headmaster's shoulders and a defeated expression made him look his age for once. By this point Severus was panicked.  
  
"Harry has disappeared from the victims unit." The Headmasters eyes betrayed worry and sadness.  
  
"Potter?" Severus' face paled, if that were possible, and, conjuring a chair, he sat in shock. "Missing..." he shook his head."Of his own violation?" he voiced his only hope with a note of desperation.  
  
Dumbledore shook his head no.  
  
"What do you need me to do?" Severus did not regard the Boy-who-lived any more highly than he had when the boy had been his student. But to have him disappear at some unknown assailant's hands was worrying. Despite the best efforts of the Ministry's aurors it was widely acknowledged that there were dozens of angry estranged Death Eaters who would love to get their hands on Voldemort's defeater. As a former member of their ranks Severus felt very responsible for their actions.  
  
"Stay here and continue your current duties." Holding up a hand for silence Dumbledore continued, "I will be heading off today with a few staff members, Minerva will be taking over my Headmaster duties. Madame Pomfery has only a few patients left, if you feel a need you may ask her assistance in Miss Granger's care, though I don't recommend it. I want you to begin teaching her to brew potions without sight." At this Severus protested, but a glare from the Headmaster stopped him. "She will go insane lying in a chair with nothing to take her mind off the condition of her friend. Don't look so surprised Severus, she knows very well that Mr. Weasley is dead, and that something drastic has happened to Potter. Now I must be going. I will check back in a few days time."  
  
With that the Headmaster turned and swept down the corridor in a flurry of scarlet robes. Leaving Severus to sit in his conjured chair and think.  
  
~  
  
Hermione heard the Professor leave the room and shut the door behind him. 'Finally' she whispered, her voice coming out thick and scratchy from lack of use. She waited a few moments to ensure he wouldn't return immediately before sliding out of her chair. Her head still ached with the slightest movement but she would go crazy if she wasn't able to move from this chair soon. Her bare feet hit freezing cold stone and she let out a hiss, almost reconsidering her plan; almost but not quite.  
  
Taking a deep breath for strength she kept one hand on the lounge and stood to her full height. For a moment she felt as if the blackness around her was spinning at an alarming rate, but it returned to normal soon enough and she sought out the nearest piece of furniture with the hand not clasping the chair. Her fingers brushed soft fabric and she took a tentative step forward. Once she stood beside this new piece, which felt like a straight-back chair she sought out a new piece to hold her balance.  
  
Her head was pounding and when she reached another chair - this one covered in well worn leather - she sank into it with relief. She didn't know how far she had come around the room, but was please with her progress none-the-less. It had been a good five minutes since Severus had left and he would return any minute so Hermione's rest did not last long. She wasn't sure why, but just as she didn't want to speak, she didn't want anyone to know that she was feeling capable of walking around on her own.  
  
She continued on her way around the room in the same direction she had started. Holding onto one piece of furniture and then another to keep her balance. She would need a vial of pain relief potion by the time she made it back to her resting place. She had just rounded a heavy wooden cabinet when she heard footsteps in the hallway outside. In her rush to return to her chaise she began moving with less caution and failed to check what was on the floor in front of her. Her left toe caught and she fell into something solid and warm that made an "umf' sound when she hit it.  
  
She let out a shocked gasp and tried to take a step back. She wasn't sure who she'd run into, they hadn't made any sounds to give her a clue. Her breeding told her to apologize, but her stubborn refusal to speak until she was ready for the questions kept her tongue at bay. Her body shifted as she slid a foot backward, but strong arms stopped her from completing the process. She stood still, shivering at the contact. It was disconcerting but not at all unpleasant to be held still by these arms. She was surprised that she wasn't more afraid, the ordeal she had suffered countless times in the form of dreams was enough to make her fear most human contact, especially which with someone unknown to her, but this person's proximity was comforting.  
  
"I see you are feeling better that I had thought." A deep voice intoned sounding on the verge of laughter. It was Professor Snape's voice. "But we cannot have you over exerting yourself so soon in your treatment, come and sit down." His voice was gentle, but there was a not so subtle admonishment in his tone. He guided her to her chair with slow deliberation and settled her against the cushions with almost uncharacteristic gentleness. "Drink this" he commanded holding a vial to her lips.  
  
Hermione almost laughed at his antics. Obviously he didn't trust her to feed herself the potion after her last reaction. She suppressed her mirth well and obediently swallowed the potion, hoping fervently it was only pain relief and not a sleeping potion. The warm and familiar sensation of a pain relief potion washed over her, bringing a satisfied smile to her lips.  
  
Severus watched her with a smile of his own. He had been both shocked and pleased to see her standing when he entered the room. For a few moments it had taken his mind off of the Potter boy's disappearance and for that he was grateful, but now that she was settled again his thoughts returned to his earlier talk with the Headmaster. He understood now why Hermione had been entrusted to his care; he was incredibly good at hiding truths from people, no matter how close to them he became. Lies came easily to him after his years as a spy. He had been wondering whether or not to tell her about Harry, but this little incident had made up his mind for good. There was no possible way Hermione would agree to stay here and heal if she knew her friend had disappeared, so he wouldn't tell her until she had her sight back.  
  
Hermione lay back in her pillows, her mouth still twisted into a partial smile, visibly more relaxed then she had been a few moments before. Severus watched her in silence for a few moments. She looked so perfect, lying in silence, her eyes closed against the blackness, her cheeks flushed from earlier exertion. Shaking his head Severus rose from the place he had been sitting, wondering when he had become such a sentimental fool. It must have been the fact that she had been living in such a close proximity to him, and that she needed him in some way he reasoned. After all, there was no possible way that he would develop a fondness for the know-it-all under anything less than bizarre circumstances.  
  
The sound of footsteps walking away from her wiped any and all traces of joy from Hermione's face; she was so alone in the impenetrable darkness. She was already loosing patience with her disability. In a world like the one she was in it was imperative for a person to have sight, without it she could not aim a spell. Certainly she would be able to perform a spell, but she would never have a clue as to what the results were or if she had hit her intended target. It was also an added frustration that her injury was one of the few types that Magical Healing could not fix. Her only real hope for regaining sight was to research the Muggle methods and hope for the best. Unfortunately, research required sight.  
  
This aggravating circle of thoughts would continue, she knew, until she spoke them aloud. That she was being panicked for no other reason than it was better then grieving was something she did not even want to fully admit to herself, let alone to her silent and sullen companion. There were some things - or so she had been taught- that you just didn't tell people about. She knew that her intense fear was one of those things. If people knew of her fear they would pity her, and she couldn't handle their pity. If they knew. she shook her head to stop the painful thoughts from continuing.  
  
She could still hear the screams and cries form battle in her head and nothing would banish that. Her heart hammered with fear whenever she heard an unfamiliar footstep, or voice and she had almost died of fright when she had collided with Snape earlier that day. The terror surrounded her both waking and sleeping and it was slowly but surely driving her out of her mind. In just a few weeks she was sure they would be transporting her to St Mungo's where she could have nonsensical conversations with Lockhart and the Longbottoms. It wouldn't be so bad really, being crazy. After all a crazy person didn't have fear.  
  
No. She thought firmly. She would NOT let fear ruin her life to that extent. She was not that weak. At least she hadn't been. She grit her teeth in determination. She would be strong again. She would not let fear and despair rule her life. Not anymore. There were Muggles all over the world who lived everyday with blindness. They held jobs and they fit in to society in their own way. With a nod and a forced smile she decided that she wanted that. She wanted to be a normal being again, or at least a useful one.  
  
With renewed energy Hermione rose from her lounge and walked across the room. Her hands were slightly in front of her to keep from running into anything head on, but she was walking quickly and with some of her old bravado.  
  
Severus looked up from his workstation and allowed his mouth to drop open in shock. Hermione was not only walking towards him at the speed of a normal person, but she had that look on her face she got when she knew the answer to a difficult problem in class. Something was up, and whatever it was Severus was glad for it. She hadn't looked anywhere near this good since months before the battle. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement and she looked healthy and fierce.  
  
Hermione stopped a few feet from where she thought Severus' desk should be and tried to ignore the fact that she didn't have a clue if he was even at his desk. "Professor." She said firmly. "I'm sick of playing invalid. I'm not sick, I'm blind. And I'm going out of my mind with boredom sitting in that chair."  
  
Severus caught himself just before holding his hand out for silence. "Miss Granger, have a seat." He said in his best I-am-your-professor voice. "He walked over to her side and guided her to his desk chair. "Now," he said slowly, "despite what you make believe you are not fully recovered yet." He placed a restraining hand on her arm, signaling her to let him finish. "However, I have in my possession some books written in brail that you should be able to amuse yourself with." He reached onto his desk and grabbed one of the four books he had had Creevy attain for him. The first as a children's book that was supposed to teach a child how to read brail, the rest were fictional novels about blind people, all with happy endings. Pressing the book into her hands he said, "I know this isn't what you wanted, but you will never regain your sight by over exerting yourself. "  
  
A/N: I just realized that I haven't been conveying time very well in this story; In fact I haven't been conveying it at all. In my mind Hermione has been in Severus' care at Hogwarts for about one and a half weeks. She spent a few days unconscious and then was moved to his study/workroom so that he could get work done and watch her at the same time. She had been in the study for a little over 5 days when Dumbledore came to speak with Severus. I just though I would clear that up, since, as I've written so far, this entire thing could be taking place in two days.  
  
Anyhow. Thank you everyone for reading! PLEASE REVIEW! 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
A/N: Thank you everyone for your patience.  
  
Hermione groaned inwardly. He was most definitely right about this not being what she had wanted, but she supposed it was better than nothing. She ran her fingers tentatively over the cover of one book. The slippery cover's smooth surface was broken by small protruding circles which Hermione explored with her fingers tracing out a pattern. She wasn't sure how Snape expected her to understand the brail without some sort of key, regardless of the difficulty she refused to stoop so low as to ask him. He may not be the epitome of fairness, but he was a good teacher. There had to be a method.  
  
The morning passed quietly for both Severus and his patient. Hermione spent several hours studying the primer book before falling into an exhausted slumber and Severus was able to get caught up on the work he had abandoned in the earlier days of nursing Hermione, though his work was not without distraction. He didn't seem to be able to work for more than twenty minutes without checking on Hermione. She seemed to be struggling with the new language and he realized he may have overestimated her ability to pick up this new skill. He would have to spend some time with her and teach her the letters. If she knew the individual letters she could puzzle out the rest for herself, but it wasn't fair to expect her to puzzle out the entire language by herself. He spent the afternoon puzzling over his dilemma. He had been an imbecile to simply give her the books to puzzle out, because now he wouldn't be able to help her without giving her the mistaken impression that she had failed somehow.  
  
Of course! The solution was so blatantly obvious Severus could have smacked himself for not coming up with it sooner. Obviously he wouldn't tell her he had been mistaken in giving her a key; instead he would have her "assist" him in his research by "reading" the text aloud. He could charm one of his more obscure potions books to pronounce words out loud when her fingers "read" the words. It was brilliant.  
  
The next morning he put his plan into action. "Are you well enough to be of use today?" he asked, keeping his voice purposely sharp.  
  
Hermione looked in the general direction of his voice and frowned, "I would love to help, but I'm not exactly the most useful assistant, why don't you get Colin?" Her tone was defeated.  
  
"Nonsense," Severus said brusquely, "I wouldn't ask you to do something you were unable to do. Such actions would do neither of us any good." He walked over to her side and held out a heavy volume, "Here, take this."  
  
Hermione wrapped her hands about the book. "I can't read the Braille yet," she said sadly, stroking a hand over the cover.  
  
"I have every confidence that you will not find that to be a problem with this book," Severus kept his tone businesslike. "Now, Starting on page one, I need you to read aloud any reference to an Erumpent."  
  
Hermione was puzzled, but did as she was told. Propping the book against her knees she opened to the first page and ran her fingers lightly over the tiny bumps.  
  
The Erumpent horn...  
  
Hermione started slightly, the words had been thoughts in her brain, she was certain she hadn't heard them allowed. Maybe she had wished so hard that the words had appeared. She ran a tentative finger over another section, further down the page.  
  
.. a very popular use for this ...  
  
Hermione remained a brilliant young woman, even if she was a blind one and the reality of her present situation finally sank in. She wasn't insane; the words had somehow been charmed so she would be able to understand them. Fairly certain that the charm would have taken a great deal of magical energy to achieve this type of success Hermione determined that she would learn the letters so that no other books need be charmed in the same way. She ran her fingers over the words again, this time feeling more carefully to measure the patterns for each letter.  
  
Severus had settled a discreet distance away and watched her progress with pleasure. Her face was animated as she ran her finger across the page, muttering facts to herself. It was a beautiful sight.  
  
*** 1 Month Later***  
  
Hermione ran her finger along rough text, feeling her way through the words. She was working on yet another project for Severus – she had given up thinking of him as Professor Snape a few weeks ago. This was her third project and after the first Severus had begun to treat her more as a colleague than an invalid. Hermione had grasped onto that respect – it was the only thing she had – and thought of him with something akin to fondness.  
  
"How much do you have left to do tonight?" Severus' silky voice cut into her concentration, a welcome distraction. His voice was no longer the malicious purr she remembered from her school days, but instead smooth and cultured and even kind. Hearing it sent delicious shivers up her spine.  
  
"I'd like to finish this chapter," she replied sending a vague smile in the direction of his delectable voice.  
  
"Can it wait until tomorrow?" Severus had moved closer and the proximity of his voice started Hermione so much she nearly dropped the book.  
  
"I would rather it didn't have to, why?" Hermione closed the book over her finger and gave him her full attention, composing her expression to one of eager compliance.  
  
"It's late – well past midnight – and you need your rest." His voice was tired.  
  
Hermione harrumphed loudly. "I'll sleep when I've finished this section that will be soon enough. There's no need for you to wait up for me if you need rest – my word's good." She flipped open her book once again and resumed her careful perusal of the words, deciding the matter was closed.  
  
Severus perched on the chair across from her. "You know it's not that I don't trust you." He admonished lightly, "You'll work yourself to death." His voice was suspiciously calm and Hermione realized belatedly that he was worried about her.  
  
"I'm fine Severus," she murmured reaching out with one delicate hand to find his. He took it and gave her fingers a squeeze.  
  
"I'm not going to let you throw away all the progress you've been making just because of some stupid research project."  
  
"What progress?" Hermione asked bitterly.  
  
"You know what progress Hermione, don't play stupid." Severus had found quickly that sympathy did nothing more than encourage her negativity. "You've come a long way and the doctor will be by in the morning for your weekly checkup."  
  
Hermione heaved a long suffering sigh.  
  
"Please," Severus cringed, hoping she didn't catch the hint of begging that hid in his tone, "take your time recovering. You can't rush things like this. Promise me you'll take it easy from now on. No more than an hour studying at a time and at least ten hours of sleep."  
  
Knowing she had lost this battle Hermione tucked a bit of leather into the book at her page and stood, "Alright, if it means that much to you." With a final squeeze on Severus' hand she felt her way out of the room.  
  
Severus watched her leave with a bitter-sweet feeling. He was relieved she had finally retired to bed, he had decided to let her determine her own bed- time but it was three in the morning and he had given up on the hope that she would set down her research. Hermione had been looking tired for a few days now and he was legitimately worried. On the other hand, he continued to despair for her complete recovery. The tenacious nature that had irritated him so much when she was his students seemed to have disappeared completely since the war. She was probably still adjusting to her handicap, but he knew too little about the Muggle idea of psychology to know if the length of her adjustment was healthy. And the fact that Ron was dead and Harry missing would have no positive effects on her mental state.  
  
One thing he did know, despite his limited insight into the human psyche, was that the way the remainder of the staff treated Hermione – as if she were mentally disabled instead of blind – was probably the worst thing for her. Having made up his mind about that he had done his utmost to isolate her from them in the last few weeks. Albus had taken to giving him knowing looks in the corridors, but had apparently informed the staff that their presence was not an asset because their visits had ceased completely.  
  
With a deep resigned sigh Severus stood and headed for his own quarters. He too would need to be alert for Hermione's examination tomorrow. It would be upsetting – though he didn't allow himself to scrutinize the exact reason for this – if Hermione was removed from his care before she was well. As much as he wanted to see Hermione well he knew he would miss her constant presence when she left. It bothered him enough that while he taught his classes she would either be alone or under the care of a house elf. None of the other professors had any more time to care for an invalid than he.  
  
~  
  
The doctor Albus had called in to assess Hermione's condition was an interesting man. A squib himself he worked as a Muggle doctor, but was married to a witch and lived with her in the wizard world. When Poppy had been unable to assist Hermione Dr. Holman had been Albus' one and only recommendation. After the initial appointment Severus had been forced to admit that the suggestion had been a good one. The doctor was both knowledgeable and gentle; Hermione hadn't even flinched at any point of his examination.  
  
The examination that morning was a brief one. Dr. Holman asked Hermione a few questions and ran a standard test on her eyes before motioning to Severus to meet him outside.  
  
After giving Hermione and reassuring squeeze on the shoulder Severus followed the doctor into the hall. "Well?" he asked.  
  
"There has been no change." The doctor said his expression regretful. "I'm so sorry, but I've done all I can."  
  
Severus' ears registered the Doctor's comments, but his heart refused to believe them. "You're certain?" his voice betrayed the deep sorrow that had seized him at the news.  
  
"As I said, I'm sorry. There's little you can do but teach her to adjust to life without sight."  
  
Severus sighed heavily. "Thank you doctor, truly."  
  
"I'll come by in a few weeks to check her again, just to be sure, but it might be best for you to get her adjusted to the thought that she might never see again."  
  
Unable to speak for the tears clogging his throat Severus nodded and extended a hand to the man who had tried his best but in the end been unable to counteract the disastrous effects of Hermione's injury.  
  
Dr. Holman smiled sadly and left after reassuring Severus that Hermione would handle it and he would inform the headmaster. Severus watched him disappear around a corner, he wasn't ready to face Hermione yet, but he had little choice. Taking a steadying breath and then another when the first failed its desired effect, Severus returned to the room.  
  
"What did he say?" Hermione was curled up in the large arm chair he had brought in here for her studying purposes, but for the first time in days there wasn't a book in sight. Her expression was vulnerable as she stared at the door with empty eyes.  
  
Severus said nothing pulling a chair close to hers and grasping her tiny hands in his own larger ones. Another deep calming breath steadier him so that he could look into the vacant cinnamon eyes and not feel overwhelming sadness and anger, "He's coming back in a couple weeks to check again." his voice was gruff and he cleared his throat.  
  
"I'm not going to get it back am I?" Hermione didn't sound or look surprised, "I'll be fine Severus." She pulled her left hand from his and reached clumsily to run her fingers reassuringly down his cheek.  
  
He leaned his head into her palm and bit his lip to stop the tears. Tears he had been repressing since he was a boy, tears of sorrow, pain, and bitterness. Hermione shifted closer to him and he buried his face on her shoulder. Her arms wrapped around him, holding him tightly and rubbing reassuring circles on his back. "It's alright," she whispered. "Just let it out."  
  
Once the tears began it took several minutes for them to stop. Hermione held him tightly throughout the ordeal, whispering soft comforts to him the whole time and refusing to let him back away. When he was done he pulled back slowly, acutely embarrassed. Who was he to be sobbing like a first year when she was so brave in the face of a life of blindness? The admiration he had always felt for her multiplied exponentially as he saw her face, empathetic but devoid of the pity he had feared finding.  
  
"Thank you." Hermione said softly, causing Severus to shoot her a puzzled look.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For caring enough to cry," she said sadness darkening her tone and furrowing her brow.  
  
Closing his eyes in pain Severus pulled her into a fierce embrace.  
  
________________________________________________________________________ A/n: Sorry for the long time I took to update, RL is insane and I'm working – or supposed to be working on my Original Fiction, any progress in Fanon is me procrastinating *smiles. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I decided that there was no point writing in every minute detail of every day, which is why I skipped a month after Hermione learnt how to read. Also, I realize that last chapter Dumbledore told Severus to teach Hermione how to brew potions, but in my mind Severus kindly ignores Dumbledore's instructions, because sight is important in judging the quality of a potion. Finally... In a bout of completely shameless self-promotion, I'll give cookies to anyone who takes the trouble to visit and comment on my Live Journal. Just tell me which story you want them for; it doesn't have to be this one and of course, if you don't have a LJ account, leave your email address so I can send you said cookie. PLEASE REVIEW!  
  
Big thanks to... Deb – I promise that I deal with Harry next chapter.  
  
Aegina – thank you!  
  
RogueGrunger1990 – Thanks for your review. I don't know what your classification of romance is... so I can't answer your question, personally I find the idea of Hermione being nursed by Severus to be romantic in and of itself *grins*  
  
Anarane Anwamane – Thanks for reviewing!  
  
On-A-Rainy-Day – was my way of teaching her brail realistic enough? I hope so. Thanks for your reviews! You are almost the only reason that I updated this chapter this soon. I cave easily to pressure from reviews. *hints madly*  
  
Weda - the constructive criticism is brilliant. I love it when reviewers are so honest and helpful. I hope you enjoyed my way of Sev. Teaching brail, I'm not too sure on it myself, but I had no better idea *shrugs* lol... Love the phrase "over snuggle" btw, I totally knew what you were talking about.  
  
Brigd13 – thanks  
  
shayleane - thanks for reviewing, sorry the update took more than 3 months *looks ashamed*  
  
Melwasul – thanks for your review!  
  
Mademoiselle Morte – ask and you shall receive, and I promise it won't take me 3 months next time.  
  
Katrina Tonak – thanks for your review, as far as them falling in love.. you'll just have to wait and see.  
  
Me - I hope the wait didn't kill you. Thanks for your review.  
  
Ilove Sexy Sevi - thanks for reviewing!  
  
Next chapter: Is the second to last *insert evil laughter* 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
Albus appeared on the rivers edge with a soft crack. The morning was young, the early sun had yet to shed its blanket of fog and he squinted slightly to make out the figure waiting for him on the bank. "Alastor," he greeted shortly, inclining his head at the Auror.  
  
"Albus," The man focused his non-magical eye on Dumbledore's face while his magical eye remained focused on something behind him.  
  
"What have you found? Dumbledore moved forward until he was shoulder to shoulder with Moody, peering out onto the waterway.  
  
"We're not sure yet, but it's nothing you'll like." Alistair turned and tread carefully down the steep rim of the river. "Over here."  
  
~  
  
"Can you hand me Oren's A Perlustration of Time?" Hermione set the book she had just finished on the table to her left. Since Dr. Holman's visit Hermione had been moved into a suit of her own suite of rooms adjoining to Severus'. Currently she was curled up in one of the two plush armchairs that had been placed on either side of her fireplace.  
  
Severus, seated in the chair across from her, rose immediately to fetch the desired book from the nearby bookshelf. Professor Flitwick had been busy in the last few days charming the ancient texts into Braille for Hermione's constant studying.  
  
Hermione had been sticking closely to her promise to Severus, but despite taking the promised rests, she managed to read between two and four books a day, which kept the charms professor busy trying to keep up to her speed. The voracious thirst for knowledge that she had had as a girl had returned with a noticeable increase after Dr. Holman's last visit, if she were going to live as a blind woman she would have to occupy her mind some way or another or she would go mad.  
  
Severus watched over her working habits with a sharp eye, ready to swoop in and tranquilize her if it was necessary to make her sleep well, but so far she had left him little cause for this worry except past precedent. The work she was doing intrigued the academic in him despite the protector aspect of his personality's loathing of the work.  
  
Hermione spent her days doing research for the other professors. In-depth research in various fields that the over worked school teachers had always wanted to do, but would never have time for.  
  
Professor Flitwick had spent a day teaching her how to summon books for herself when she was alone and a spell that would write down whatever she said a loud. The summoning charm had caused them both a few problems because, of course, Hermione couldn't see the objects that hurtled towards her, so the Charms professor had modified the spell so that she summoned them into a pile a few feet from her chair and then she could rise and pick them up. He also taught her the charm he had used to alter regular books to Braille.  
  
Severus pressed the requested book into her hands, "Whose work are you doing today?" he asked, decidedly curious as to which one of his colleagues was interested in the passage of time and time travel.  
  
"Professor Trelawney," Hermione replied with a smirk, "believe it or not it seems our Divination Professor has an extremely ready mind and a deeply hidden thirst for knowledge." Severus snorted and Hermione gave him conspiratory grin, "Of course the skeptics among us may be comforted by the fact that none of the research topics are of vital importance to any matter beyond the sphere she has shut herself in." She passed him the book she had just finished, Rosetta Finn's Accurate Predictions.  
  
Severus smirked at the cover, a picture of a bat-like woman strangely reminiscent of the current Hogwarts Divinations professor. The subtitle read 'the easy route to accuracy revealed!' He snorted again. Only Hermione would agree to do research for that old fraud.  
  
A tapping at the window caught their attention. Severus rose to let the tawny owl, who was hovering impatiently outside, in to deliver its message. The scroll was sealed tightly with the Hogwarts crest and a quickly scrawled note that said simply, 'Severus'. He moved to the chair where he had been sitting and unfurled the parchment.  
  
Severus, There is no easy way to say what it is I need to tell you, so I'll jump right to the point. Harry's body was discovered on the banks of the Thames this morning. His death seems to be the painful result of vengeful Death Eaters...  
  
--- earlier that day---  
  
... He has the dark mark carved into his chest and it's obvious that he had been tortured for quite some time. I shall leave it to your discretion to inform Miss Granger, though I advise doing it sooner than later.  
  
Albus Dumbledore  
  
Albus rolled up the parchment with a sad sigh. He was still at the crime site. His first thought after he and Moody had tracked the blood at the river's edge to the place where Harry lay was that Hermione must be informed of her friend's fate before she heard it in children's gossip or read it in the Profit.  
  
"Albus," Moody stood a few feet in front of him, temporarily blocking the body from view. "You need to see this."  
  
It was sickening, Dumbledore decided as he stood, that the world immediately dehumanized their dead. An injured or missing person was still a person, but the moment their pulse was seen to stop they become a nameless thing, a body. Standing beside the Auror he looked down at Harry's body with tears in his usually cheerful blue eyes. Maybe, he conceded, it was more out of self preservation than savage disregard that they unnamed the dead. It was easier to simply look at the scarred boy who used to be a rambunctious student with a life stretched out ahead of him as a casualty of war than as what he was in life and what he might have been. "What is it?" He asked in a tired voice.  
  
"This isn't Harry."  
  
---  
  
Severus looked once again at the letter in his shaking hand. This was the first time he had been truly glad that Hermione had been robbed of her sight. As long as he stayed silent and went about his work she wouldn't have to know. And if she didn't know, then he wouldn't have to deal with the painful news. He rolled the parchment back up and set it on the table beside him; he would burn it later so she wouldn't be able to read it for herself.  
  
"Bad news?" Hermione had yet to open her book and was staring in his general direction, a look of concern on her delicate features.  
  
Severus took a deep, shaky breath and walked over to stand before her.  
  
"What is it?" Hermione could sense the tension in his silence. "What's wrong?"  
  
"It's Harry," Severus said, having never been any good at breaking such news gently.  
  
"What's wrong with him? Where is he?"  
  
"I'm so sorry, Harry's gone."  
  
"Missing?"  
  
"No Hermione. They found his body in the Thames this morning."  
  
"No," Hermione's face crumpled. "You're lying to me! Harry's fine! He survived Voldemort; he was finally free to live his own life. You're wrong. You have to be wrong."  
  
Severus moved to her side and wrapped his arms awkwardly around her shivering body. "I wish it weren't true, you have no idea how much. "He stroked her back in slow comforting circles; she clung to him, staining the front of his robes with her tears.  
  
"That's why he never came isn't it?" She asked her voice scratchy. "I knew," she sniffed loudly, "I knew there had to be something wrong, but a part of me was hurt because he didn't make any effort. I guess I was being selfish, I should have known he wouldn't do that."  
  
"Oh, Hermione," Severus pulled her as tightly as he could against himself, his heart breaking for the defeated acceptance he heard in her voice. "I never even thought..."  
  
"How long have you known?" Hermione asked accusingly. In one swift move she pushed away from him and turned to walk away. Unfortunately in her distressed state she hadn't taken proper note of where in the room she was. Her head collided with the edge of a cabinet and she slumped to the ground, unconscious.  
  
--- "This isn't Harry." Albus heard the words but they took several minutes to fully register. "Wait..." his mind grappled for an explanation, "then whose is it?"  
  
Alastor frowned deeply. "I don't know," he grumbled kneeling in the mud next to the body, "but it's a message."  
  
Albus felt like he was in some sort of dream, "what do you mean message?"  
  
"They've got Harry," Alastor said in a conspiratory tone. "This one's been transfigured somehow into Harry."  
  
"How can you be sure it's not him?"  
  
Alastor looked at Albus as if he thought the old man had finally lost his remaining marbles. "Take a look at his scar."  
  
"I-" Albus knelt next to the Auror and looked closer at the lighting bolt on the boy's forehead, "It's facing the wrong direction," he said in wonderment.  
  
"So obviously not pollyjuice," Alastor looked pleased as he stood, dusting the heavy mud from his pants. "Poly juice copies everything, even hairstyle, so it would certainly have picked up on Harry's curse scar. Transfiguration is trickier; it's pretty simple to miss something like the direction of a scar."  
  
Albus simply stared. He would never have placed Alastor Moody as an expert in Transfiguration; he was too jumpy to maintain the necessary focus. "Is there a way to transfigure the body back?"  
  
"Yes," Alastor said slowly, fingering his wand. "But I'd prefer to wait until my Camera man arrives, won't do to lose any evidence."  
  
"In that case," Albus settled on the river bank, "Would you care for a cup of tea?" In the excitement of discovering that Harry may still live he completely forgot about the hasty owl he had sent to Hogwarts to tell Severus of the latest development. He and the aging Auror settled on a patch of un-muddied grass and enjoyed a small picnic.  
  
"Auror Moody?" the timid voice cut their breakfast feast short, the camera man had arrived.  
  
"Ah good!" Alastor rose as quickly and a man missing a leg can and shook hands with the short mousy-haired girl. "Albus I'd like to introduce you to Matilda Myrtle, our crime scene photographer." He leaned closer to Albus and whispered, "Apparently all Muggle police have crime scene photographers and the Muggle-born Aurors insisted."  
  
Albus chuckled and followed Moody and Myrtle to the river bed where they took two whole rolls of film, photographing the site from every conceivable angle twice.  
  
When Matilda was finished she went to pack up her camera. "All done here then, it was nice to meet you Albus."  
  
"Just a moment lass," Alastor put a hand on her arm, "we're not quite through yet." He raised his wand and pointed it at the corpse. "Conversio Cursum Veritas."  
  
A jet of silver light shot from his wand and enveloped the body. For a few moments the trio was forced to look away from the brilliant light. When they could once again look at the body the shock of what they saw took away their ability to speak.  
  
_____________________________________________________________________ A/N: Ok... I don't know why I keep killing Harry in everything I write, or at least pretending to, but I'd better stop or none of you will be the least bit surprised, although I make no promises. This is a fic about life, and life, unfortunately includes death. Speaking of death... will Hermione survive the fall?  
  
Next chapter is the last. And because I've been dragging this fic out since august.... *cackles maniacally* you shouldn't be surprised to hear that it will take a miracle for me to get it out before May. I'm in grade 12 and this is my prom month so... I'll be insanely busy for the next few weeks, which means no time to write. :P To ease the wait you can expect a cookie to go up on my LJ sometime next week.  
  
Huge thanks to those who reviewed last chapter!  
  
Aegina – I honestly hadn't considered a sequel to this one. Although originally it was supposed to be longer (until I got lazy and cut it off).  
  
On-A-Rainy-Day – Thank you so much for your reviews. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint.  
  
Cianna Greenwood – Thanks so much for your review. I'm glad you liked the plot, the idea of Hermione being blind isn't exactly original, I think I was inspired by another story, unfortunately I can't remember its name, but I did try and do my own take on the basic idea.  
  
kitkat87 - thanks for your review. I will try and post the last chapter by mid-May, but life will only get busier form me from now until July so I can't make any promises. I hope you liked this chapter.  
  
Claire Rickman – Thanks so much for your review! It's not strange liking seeing Snape cry, at least IU don't think so, I mean I thoroughly enjoyed making him show that side.  
  
Melwasul – Thanks! I hope this chapter lived up to your expectations.  
  
Tracy3 – Thanks for reviewing.  
  
Dav – thanks you so much for your review. I'm glad you liked it. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
A/N: Thanks everyone for reading! This is the last chapter. Enjoy...  
  
"HERMIONE!" Severus watched, as if in slow-motion, as Hermione's fragile body crumpled to the stone floor. He wrenched himself from the spot he had been standing, everything still moving strangely out-of time.  
  
He didn't notice the blood until he reached her side, and when he did notice it he had trouble not vomiting at the sight. Hermione's face was peaceful, as if she were experiencing a particularly restful dream, but for her eerily pallid skin and the blood. "Hermione!" Severus knelt next to her fallen form and cast a quick charm to check her vital signs.  
  
She was alive, but barely.  
  
Pulling his scattered wits together took nearly all his mental strength. He had to get Hermione to the hospital wing and quickly. If the amount of blood pooling out of her head was any indication she was going downhill quickly. He quickly conjured a stretcher and magicked Hermione onto it. Using a simple levitating charm he steered her from her chambers and walked as quickly as he could to the infirmary.  
  
"What's happened?" Poppy met him at the door and levitated Hermione to the nearest empty bed where she set to work immediately.  
  
"She misjudged her positioning and hit her head on the ridiculous antique breakfront that Albus insisted was harmless," there was bitterness in his tone, "and the collision was enough to knock her to the ground. I brought her here as quickly as possible."  
  
"You've done well," Poppy took a precious second away from her patient to reassure her panicked colleague. She put away the questions about his relationship with Miss Granger for a later date when she could do the musing justice. "Now," her tone returned to the brisk businesslike one that kept her patients in line, "I need a bottle of the new healing potion you made me last week and a bundle of bandages. We're in for a long night."  
  
With one last desperate look at Hermione's alarmingly pallid face Severus left to gather the requested items, silently cursing Albus Dumbledore the entire time. If it hadn't been for that owl this never would have happened.  
  
---  
  
"Is that...?" Alastor found his voice and sent a concerned glance to the ancient man standing beside him.  
  
"Yes." Albus' heart was heavy as he looked at the frail form lying prone in the mud. To be killed for such a purpose, not for one's self, but for one's connections. He shivered slightly.  
  
"Should I photograph this as well?" Matilda looked back and forth between the men making no real attempt to understand the baffling occurrence she had just witnessed.  
  
The body that had formerly been that of the celebrated Boy-Who-Lived was now that of a girl who could not have been older than 16. The signs of torture were in greater evidence on the girl's white skin. There were large yellowing bruises along her arms, across her naked torso and all over her head. Along with the bruising came swelling that disfigured once beautiful features. Matilda didn't recognize the girl at all, but she couldn't help but want to cry for her. It was obvious that whoever had taken her life had had their fun with her as well. Three years of photographing crime scenes for the Aurors had increased her observation skills ten-fold.  
  
She snapped another full roll of film of the girl before putting her camera back in its case. "Who is she?" Matilda's voice shook slightly.  
  
Neither the Auror nor the Headmaster seemed to hear her question. Albus was staring at the body with sorrowful eyes, feeling intensely guilty for the relief that had washed over him when the body had proved to be some else's other than Harry's. Alastor was casting quiet spells to try and determine when the death and transfiguration had taken place and if they were cast by the same wand. Neither man paid the slightest attention to the woman with them.  
  
Silence stretched as Alastor ran out of spells to practice and Albus continued in his guilty musings. Finally the silence was broken. "How do we tell Arthur?" Albus' voice was horse. "It will kill him. He's already lost so much."  
  
It was at this point that Matilda realized who the girl must be, for there was only one family with hair that color and a man named Arthur: the Weasleys. The family hardest hit in the final battle, or at least that's how most saw it. Of the nine Weasleys who had fought only three had survived intact. Ron had been killed in battle as had Molly, Fred and Bill. Charlie had lost an eye and both legs and George had been sent to St. Mungos after he learnt of his twin's death. The Weasley tragedy had been missed by none and the three of them would have given anything to be able to undo this last wrong, but of course there was nothing they could do.  
  
They stood for a moment more before Albus shook his head gravely, "There's nothing we can do. Come, Alastor, we need to move her back to headquarters."  
  
"Mobilacorpus" Alastor raised the fallen girl with a swish of his wand only to drop both the wand and the girl with a sharp gasp. "He's ... he's..." gesticulating wildly with his hands Alastor turned an uncharacteristically flustered face to Albus. "Albus...? When did...? How?"  
  
Albus sighed broken heartedly. "I don't know. We'll talk about it at headquarters. Lets go." He reached out and placed a hand on the dead girl's arm and apparated the two of them away leaving a frustrated and confused moody to stare at the place they'd been and wonder how long Harry Potter had been amusing himself with rape and torture and why he would leave such a blatant clue carved into his first known victim.  
  
---  
  
"ALBUS!"  
  
The headmaster did not even turn to face his visitor. "Severus," he said mildly, "I was expecting you sooner. Please have a seat; I feel we have a few things to discuss."  
  
Severus threw himself into a chair with the same faultless grace he did everything sending a stern glare at his employer who was still sitting, quietly contemplating the view from his office window.  
  
"A rainbow is an interesting thing," Albus' tone was wistful, "such beauty from something as seemingly awful as a rainstorm. Now," he turned to stare piercingly at his Potions Master, "what is it that you wanted to speak to me about?"  
  
"You know very well why I'm here Albus." Severus' voice was sullen and earned a twinkle from the man across from him.  
  
"Miss Granger's condition is stable or so I've been told."  
  
"If by stable you mean consistently unconscious certainly she's stable." He was fuming by this point. His hands gripped one another fiercely and he couldn't seem to breathe normally.  
  
Albus looked grave and for a few moments his eyes lost their infernal twinkle. "I understand that you blame me somewhat for Miss Granger's current condition Severus, but I feel that more than that you blame yourself."  
  
Severus clenched his teeth. Damn Albus and his infernal meddling. He glared harder, if that was possible, and stubbornly refused to admit how accurate the headmaster's statement was. Guilt was something he was very used to, but guilt for something not his fault was something he had extreme difficulty coping with. Then again, he mused, he was not entirely blameless. He was the one who told Hermione of the letter's contents, the one who upset her so much that she panicked and tried to escape.  
  
"I'm sorry for wasting your time." He said, standing quickly and walking out of the room still lost in thought.  
  
--- The next few days passed in a blur for Severus. He spent his days helping Poppy in the infirmary and watching fretfully over Hermione's still unconscious form. Albus visited him a few times but was received with open hostility so he soon learnt to simply send his messages through another source. Unsurprisingly Minerva spent nearly as much time watching over her prized student as Severus did. Though her state of mind was as calm and pragmatic as ever Severus had caught her blinking back tears more than once as she looked down on Hermione.  
  
Severus fought daily with the guilt of what happened, playing it over and over in his mind until he was nearly driven mad. It was Poppy who finally suggested that he empty the memory into his pensive so he could "stop fidgeting and be of some use." He gave into her suggestion with ill grace and a plan to punish himself further by watching the incident as an 'unbiased' observer so he could see that he truly was at fault and even show Albus so.  
  
It was with these morbid thoughts in mind that he took an evening away from Hermione's side, leaving Minerva with strict instructions to call him if there was any change, and holed himself up in his chambers. His pensive, a gift from Albus many years before, was stowed away in a seldom opened cupboard. He found it easily and wiped away the thick layer of dust with a simple spell. The memories slipped easily from his mind and floated in an icy vapor into the basin. He peered into the fog as it cleared giving him a distant view of himself, Hermione pressed against him. He saw her whirl away from him and crumple to the floor, saw himself reaching for her a second too late. With a resigned sigh he reached out to touch the memories anticipating the icy sensation of being sucked into the past.  
  
"Severus!"  
  
The shout jerked him away from the pensive. "Minerva?"  
  
"She's stirring." Minerva's voice was excited. Her head in the fire practically danced as she regarded him. "Severus, what are you doing?"  
  
"Nothing important," He said quickly jumping to his feet and striding to the fireplace. A moment of sickening twirling later Severus was in the Infirmary. Two long strides carried him to Hermione's side where he saw possibly the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.  
  
Two cinnamon eyes their depth no longer clouded and unseeing, the white, white once again instead of the sickening red he had dreaded. The eyes blinked rapidly, tears seeping unguarded from them and pooling on pale cheeks. His view was blocked by Poppy's hurried presence and he found himself pushed away so the women folk could tend to the patient. He stood silently where they had left him, completely oblivious to the fact that the heartfelt grin on his face would terrify a first year more than his sternest glower.  
  
--- "Severus?" Poppy stood in front of him, her eyes bright from unshed tears. "She's ready to see you now, but there's something you need to know first."  
  
"What is it?" Severus cocked his head to one side and held his breath praying for good news but knowing not all of poppy's tears were of joy.  
  
"She can see," Poppy began with a small smile. "Unfortunately the damage was substantial and she will need glasses for the rest of her life." Poppy swallowed and Severus' heart clenched knowing that the glasses were not the worst of it. "She can't see colors Severus." Finally the tears she had been suppressing escaped and ran haphazardly down her face.  
  
Severus took a steadying breath. "Will she ever be able to?"  
  
"We don't know. No one has ever regained their color vision before, but we must hope."  
  
"Thank you," Severus said simply. He took the few steps to Hermione's side slowly allowing himself to adjust to the news. It was not wholly bad. At least Hermione would be able to function still in the wizarding world, even if she could never brew another potion. All too soon he was at her side, "How do you feel?" He asked taking a tentative seat beside her.  
  
"My head aches a bit," she confessed shamefacedly.  
  
"I should think so." He retorted with a half smile before once again turning serious. "Poppy told me about everything. Are you certain you're alright?"  
  
"I'm fine honestly." She said, ignoring the tears that seemed unwilling to stay in her eyes.  
  
"It alright to be angry Hermione." He said gently.  
  
"N-no, I'm fine Severus, more than fine." She wiped the tears away with one hand. "It's perfect."  
  
"But..."  
  
"No." her voice was firm and she held his eyes with her own, the fierceness in them surprising him. "It's perfect. I don't care about the colors or the glasses; all I want – all I've wanted for weeks - is to see you." She smiled at him with quivering lips, "I could hear your expressions in your voice, and it broke my heart, because I was so sure I would never get to see them, but now I can see you smile."  
  
Severus took her hand in his and pressed it to his lips, kissing it softly. He couldn't find the words to say how much her caring meant to him. His heart, which he had meticulously starved of feelings for most of his life, had warmed towards this woman in the past weeks, without either his notice or permission. He didn't know if this was love, he didn't have anything in his life to compare it to, but he looked forward to spending the rest of his life finding out, if she would allow it.  
  
--- A few days later ---  
  
At the Order of the Phoenix headquarters Alastor Moody sat alone the only table in the room pouring over the crime scene photos. His brow furrowed in concentration as he jotted down quick notes on a spare sheet of parchment. It all made sense, the carved threats in the corpse, the simple deception of transfiguring the body to resemble the Wizarding World's hero, the pieces were all there but no one in the ministry or Order was willing to hear reason. Well, he thought with a resigned sigh, he knew there was one person who would listen to reason. He stood and walked over to the fire tossing a pinch of dust into the flames he called out the name. "Severus Snape."  
  
---  
  
Thick cold fog drifted across the moor, breaking like waves against the thick stone walls of Malfoy Manor. A light in the East tower was the only hint of life in the ministry condemned building. Not that there was anyone around to see the light, nor the messy haired man silhouetted by its glow. Neither was there any living, breathing soul to hear the mirthless laugh that echoed off the walls and faded into the misty night.  
  
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A/N: insert dramatic music here so... that's a wrap. I hope you enjoyed it. It was definitely interesting to write. Sorry to all you smut-bunnies out there, as you can see... I don't do smut, or anything remotely close because it ends up being ridiculously corny. I did leave room for a sequel but I'm not promising anything anytime soon.  
  
So sorry it took ,me until... well July to finish this thing. What can I say? The end of high school is a busy busy time.  
  
Anyways... HUGE HUGE thanks to all who reviewed for me during this story.  
  
Cianna Greenwood – Thank you for all your reviews! Hope the ending lived up to all expectations.  
  
On-A-Rainy-Day – Your reviews are probably the only reason I got this far in this story so Thank you for reviewing every chapter and even visiting my LJ. I hope you liked the ending.  
  
Crazley – Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Unicorn Lady – Alright... How did you guess my plot twist pouts childishly And here I am thinking I'm all genius for coming up with something so twisted. wink Thanks so much for reviewing.  
  
Claire Rickman Snape –thanks for your review!  
  
Aegina – wow thanks for the confidence in my abilities hope this lived up to every expectation. Thanks for reviewing  
  
Bronwyn – thanks for your review!  
  
The Brain - lol... not bad for your first Fan Fic review ever. Thanks both for the review and for caring enough to bag me into finishing this chap  
  
Junella – Thank you for your review. A little dark fic keeps you sane. Hope you liked the end. 


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